Aimee takes a few slices and puts them on a platter. “I’m going to take this over there now. She was in shock this morning. Can you keep the fort down? I won’t be long, and Scott will be back soon.”
“I can come with you,” Lisa says. “Marcus can watch the kids.”
“I think it’s better if it’s just me. For now.”
“Oh. Fine. Sure. I’ll stay here. Whatever you need, Aimee.”
Aimee is just pulling the front door closed behind her when Scott pulls up in his car. She stops in the street and waits for him to get out.
“Is that for me?” he asks as he approaches. “Nice of you to come greet me.”
“Ha ha.” She pulls the pizza out of his reach. “This is for Gwen. Lisa and Marcus are inside with all the kids.”
“Are you annoyed about something?”
“I don’t know. I just, I’m feeling weird, Scott. You went out last night—where did you go? Make me understand this.”
Scott rolls his eyes. “It’s no big deal. I went for a drink. That’s all.”
“A drink?”
He mimes bringing a glass to his mouth. “You know, a drink? Why is that so hard to believe? You were asleep, I wasn’t tired, I was feeling kind of restless, so I went out.”
“Where did you go?”
“Downtown Bethesda.”
“Where?”
“What is this, the third degree?” He shifts his messenger bag, restless. “I went to Villain & Saint. See, this is why I didn’t tell you. I knew you would give me a hard time.”
“Wait, Villain & Saint? With Anton?”
“Of course not. Why would you even think that?”
“That’s where he was found. In the alley behind Villain & Saint.”
Scott frowns. “That’s crazy. I didn’t see him there. I left Anton on his front stoop.”
“What were you doing there?”
“It was Friday night. I had a long week. I wanted to get out ofthe house. I don’t go to bed at ten like you. I was antsy, so I went and had a glass of whiskey. Is that a crime?”
“No. It’s not a crime.”
“Now I’m going inside to eat. I’m starving. And I hope Marcus brought beer.”
“He did.”
“Go check on Gwen. You can continue grilling me later if you want.” He gives her a kiss on the top of her head before walking to the house. But she is not mollified. Her heart thumps in her chest as she turns toward Gwen’s house. Scott doesn’t go out to bars after she goes to bed. That’s not his thing, so why is he pretending it is? And the first time he does, it just so happens to be the night that Anton is murdered. It doesn’t add up. Scott is being evasive. She believes him that he didn’t see Anton at the bar, that didn’t seem like a lie. But he’s keeping something back. After all these years, she can tell when he isn’t being completely honest with her. No, it’s not a crime to go to a bar and have a drink. But if he hasn’t done anything wrong, why is he acting so guilty?
11
NOW
Gwen opens the door to Aimee on the front step, still wearing her work clothes, her pants streaked with dirt. “Pizza?” Aimee asks, offering a wan smile. She steps inside without waiting for a response.
Gwen shuts the door and locks it. After her mother left with the boys, someone from a TV station came by and rang the bell. Gwen hid in the living room, hunched down, like a scared rabbit. Now she follows Aimee into the kitchen, where a small flat-screen TV mounted on the wall is paused on the news. She likes to watch TV while she cooks dinner or cleans up.